With the rise of importance placed on PR in an industry hit hard by ever falling budgets, those tasked with getting exposure for a brand are looking for all the publicity they can. Whilst relevant, well pitched ideas are welcomed by the media, a lack of decent visuals often means a decent piece is cut to a mere mention in anything but a newspaper. SDR PHOTO ®, leaders in photography and photographic media workflows says the problem often goes further than simply having a lack of decent photos as part of the media toolkit. Simon Deiner, head of photography at SDR, recently said that the most common topic discussed with clients was why their images were not being used before they sat with him to discuss their imagery. Deiner also covered the fact that most photography companies see taking pictures as simply that, shots which were taken, put onto disc and delivered to the client, only to collect dust somewhere in a cupboard. A quick meeting with Deiner and his team reveal that there is much more than simply taking pictures. Infact, it's just the start of a process to ensuring that they contribute to the business, and at the very least, generate a return based on exposure received.
Meeting with the client's PR to discuss what they wish to achieve, SDR creates a list of images that can be used, including formal, informal and some lifestyle and corporate shots. These are then typically captured over half a day, producing a wide variety of shots that suit a number of articles and media uses. The last step is getting the images to the media when required. SDR makes their PhotoPortal technology available to clients, storing the high-resolution images online, and available to any press or media 24 hours a day. This saves emailing the images or the need to courier discs. The end result of a shoot will typically be a selection of approximately ten to twenty photographs showing the person in a variety shots that can then be used to accompany everything from personal interviews through to releases on the corporation themselves.
Turnaround is on average about a week, although crisis management has seen the shoots go from concept to delivery in less than 3 hours. Deiner also mentions that they consult in creating brand imagery to accompany the portraits, saying that the larger the image library sitting on their servers, that with efficient usage the return can be tenfold and generate a large amount of goodwill for the company involved. The easier one makes it for journalists to get photos for a story, the more likely they are to use them. This is the premise of the PhotoPortal technology, and the SDR service - it goes beyond just taking pictures.
Notes for Editors: SDR PHOTO ® is based in Cape Town's CBD, and shoots for clients throughout South Africa and internationally. Simon Deiner started SDR in 2001 to cover fashion, lifestyle and luxury goods photography and comes from a background in brand strategy and publishing. SDR understands the unique challenges their clients face, and realise that photography is only worth anything if the pictures are used, and this ensures that SDR is continually exploring new ways to assist clients in using their work. Corporate and commercial portraiture is a great way to gain exposure if done correctly. SDR can accommodate 4 sessions a month, and would love to meet with all interested companies to discuss working on your brand images. Deiner is in Johannesburg twice a month, and Durban every six weeks for clients out of Cape Town. Deiner also shoots many editorial portraits, fashion spreads and stories, and welcomes interest from all interested editors and publishers.
Contact Information:
SDR PHOTO ®
www.sdr.co.za
Tel: +27.82.413.1868
Fax: +27.21.788.9430
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Contact: Simon Deiner
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